Arthavada

Arthavada is eulogy – one of the four kinds of interpretive statements in Mimamsa. Arthavada is one of the four parts into which Vedic texts are divided by Mimamsa. The four major parts are – Injunctions (codana, vidhi, nishedha, pratisedha); explanatory proclamations of the object or purpose (Arthavada); Recitations during performance of a sacrificial act (mantra); and Names (namadheya).

Arthaveda means a statement which either eulogizes or deprecates, intending to encourage or discourage a ritual – or some part mentioned in the ritual – from being performed. Arthavada is the ethical complement of vidhi or nishedha. For example, ‘let one who is desirous of prosperity, sacrifice a white animal to Vayu, because Vayu is the swiftest of the gods.’ Here the first sentence is a vidhi and the second, which praises Vayu, is Arthavada.

Arthavada is of three kinds, viz., Gunavada, Anuvada, and Bhutarthavada. When a text makes a statement which is contradictory to the existing state of affairs and means of proof, it is Gunavada, eg. – ‘the sun is a sacrificial post.’ This statement is observed only figuratively and goes against the sense perception when verified. When the textual statement is factual, it is Anuvada, eg. ‘fire is an antidote to cold’. It is a factual statement verified by senses. When a text makes a statement which is neither against a fact, not is in conformity with it because it happened in the past, it is Bhutarthavada, eg. ‘Indra lifted up his thunder-bolt against Vrittra.’

According to Mimamsakas, vidhis are directly authoritative and arthavada is authoritative only in so far it serves as an auxiliary to vidhis. Arthavada, even when not contradicted by other pramanas, is no authoritative, as its sense is not complete in itself.